September 7, 2018. In the days that followed Dad’s death, my brain struggled to handle all of the tasks that come with the death of a loved one. Lucky for me, Dad was very organized. I often joked that if you were to look up the word organized in the dictionary, you’d see his picture. I will be eternally grateful that he provided me with a briefcase full of important documents like wills, life insurance policies, trust documents, investment and banking information, and a cover document that listed contact information for his lawyer and investment bankers.

In addition to this important information, he also left a sealed envelope that was to be opened immediately following his death. This envelope contained two additional documents: his obituary and one titled “Some Thoughts about My Life.”  His briefcase provided me with a blueprint on how to prepare for the end of my life so that I can make my passing less stressful on my surviving loved ones.

Some Thoughts about My Life

Several months before I was born, I was given the spark of life by some type of power that remains a universal mystery. Now, a power, maybe the same power, has determined that that life has run its course, and the spark is extinguished. 

Through the many years, I have likely had more than my share of privileges and advantages, and only ever so few setbacks.

– I have had the good fortune to go to most of the places where I wished to visit;

– Growing up, I was very fortunate to live in a most congenial, caring, and loving family;

– I had the privilege and advantages of an education to the fullest extent of my wishes;

– My working career covered interesting, responsible, respectable experiences and only a minimum of physically challenging burdens;

– I have had the good fortune of good health, and health independence through most of my life;

– I have had the comforts, as well as the enjoyable challenges, in my places to live;

– I had the extremely good luck of living in America through much of the 20th century, which I believe saw the greatest changes in living standards in the history of mankind;

– I had that especially good fortune to experience, as an adult in America, the decade from late 1953 to late 1963, in what I believe was the decade of greatest independence, comforts, person to person respect, freedom, and opportunity of all times past and future in the history of man.

 And finally, my immediate family:

– Melody, who has provided me love and great respect, and has been involved in activities, and realized achievements, I could be proud of. Where appropriate, we did activities together. I fully recognize that she was dealt some unfortunate situations along the way, yet seemed to be able to make the most from them.

– And, ESPECIALLY, Mary, to you, with whom I walked the entire road, side by side, and whose love made it all worthwhile. I was privileged to have your support, understanding, and companionship all along the way. You were always more than willing to take an active part in my highly varied and sometimes maybe even questionable undertakings.  You filled my life with all that I could possibly ask.

REGRETS

I’m sure that I have encountered many forks in the road where there was a choice. I’m just as sure I might have had smoother sailing had I turned another direction at times. But, the opposite may also be true. I can recall only very few instances where I might have taken a different and preferred choice. I hope I have not made choices to the detriment of my family. Otherwise, my regrets are mighty few and insignificant. 

AND NOW

I am ready to move forward through that door.

NEAL

I miss him. We miss him.